Lalaei
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09/09/2023 Gaudeamus Festival, Utrecht
14/09/2023 Studio Chauffage, Gent 16/09/2023 Chassé Theater, Breda 06/03/2024 De Warande, Turnhout 07/03/2024 CC Sint Niklaas 09/03/2024 C o r s o, Berchem 15/03/2022 20u Mezrab Storytelling Center, Amsterdam 17/03/2022 20u Klarafestival, Bozar, Brussels 18/03/2022 20.15u Handelsbeurs, Ghent 19/03/2022 20u deSingel, Antwerp 20/03/2022 16u Concertgebouw Brugge 22/04/2022 20u CC Ter Dilft, Bornem 24/04/2022 20.15u Lunalia Festival, Mechelen Music & concept: Zwerm Singer: Sarah Akbari Drums: Karen Willems Storytelling: Marie Phillips Direction: Raphael Rodan Scenography: Stef Depover Dramaturgy: WALPURGIS & Farnoosh Farnia Production: Zwerm and WALPURGIS Coproduction: deSingel and Klara Festival Podcast: Teletext with the support of the Flemish Government and Stad Antwerpen |
“Lalaei is about powerful women, about women who will not be silenced.... In this small, perfect storytelling concert, women from the past and present seek and find their agency with a natural self-evidence.” (Evelyne Coussens, Etcetera #167)
In this unique cross-cultural collaboration between Belgian-Dutch band Zwerm and percussionist Karen Willems, Iranian singer Sarah Akbari, British storyteller Marie Phillips, Israeli director Raphael Rodan and music theatre company WALPURGIS, we explore the hidden darkness behind the seemingly innocent songs sung to children. Heart-rending Middle Eastern lullabies are interwoven with a grim story from Ovid's ‘Metamorphoses’. Marie Phillips tells the tale of Procne: a noble queen, a dutiful daughter, an obedient wife, a loving mother. But one day, her sister is hurt in an unimaginable way, and all Procne’s suppressed rage rushes to the surface, threatening to destroy her and everyone around her. In exploring this myth, Phillips finds the courage to tell a personal story that can no longer be concealed. The story is presented in English and touches on current themes such as #metoo and speaking up against injustice. Themes which also permeate the world of young adults. The songs in this storytelling concert are sung in Persian, Turkish, Hebrew and Kurdish.
“The human voice is central in Lalaei, in all its facets: as a comforting source of security, at the level of lullabies, but also as a truth-teller, as an instrument of resistance.” (Evelyne Coussens, Etcetera #167)
“Really a very special performance, which I would love to see a second time.” (Veronique Rubens, Espresso - Radio Klara)
Marie Phillips is the author of the international bestselling novel Gods Behaving Badly, the co-writer of the BBC Radio 4 hit series Warhorses of Letters, and a contributor to the podcast This American Life which is broadcast to over 5 million listeners every week.
In this unique cross-cultural collaboration between Belgian-Dutch band Zwerm and percussionist Karen Willems, Iranian singer Sarah Akbari, British storyteller Marie Phillips, Israeli director Raphael Rodan and music theatre company WALPURGIS, we explore the hidden darkness behind the seemingly innocent songs sung to children. Heart-rending Middle Eastern lullabies are interwoven with a grim story from Ovid's ‘Metamorphoses’. Marie Phillips tells the tale of Procne: a noble queen, a dutiful daughter, an obedient wife, a loving mother. But one day, her sister is hurt in an unimaginable way, and all Procne’s suppressed rage rushes to the surface, threatening to destroy her and everyone around her. In exploring this myth, Phillips finds the courage to tell a personal story that can no longer be concealed. The story is presented in English and touches on current themes such as #metoo and speaking up against injustice. Themes which also permeate the world of young adults. The songs in this storytelling concert are sung in Persian, Turkish, Hebrew and Kurdish.
“The human voice is central in Lalaei, in all its facets: as a comforting source of security, at the level of lullabies, but also as a truth-teller, as an instrument of resistance.” (Evelyne Coussens, Etcetera #167)
“Really a very special performance, which I would love to see a second time.” (Veronique Rubens, Espresso - Radio Klara)
Marie Phillips is the author of the international bestselling novel Gods Behaving Badly, the co-writer of the BBC Radio 4 hit series Warhorses of Letters, and a contributor to the podcast This American Life which is broadcast to over 5 million listeners every week.